Florida Governor Rick Scott is pushing for Supreme Court Justice Barbara Pariente to recuse herself from a major case deciding the limits of the governor’s appointment powers.
The Court is considering who should select the replacements for three justices whose terms end at the same time as Governor Scott—the incumbent or his successor. Shortly after oral arguments in the case, Justice Pariente and Chief Justice Jorge Labarga were caught on a hot mic discussing the case.
The governor says Pariente’s mind is made up, and he wants her to recuse herself from the decision.
The case could drastically alter the make-up of Florida’s high court. While the governor’s mansion and the legislature have shifted to the right, the court has not. That could change if Scott were to install three conservative-minded judges on his way out the door.
